Thomas Rhett Launches Label

Thomas Rhett launched Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records with Blue Highway Records, a Nashville-based company owned by HYBE America.

Rhett Seeks Ownership of Work

Rhett says the partnership gives him 'the opportunity to own the body of work I’ve spent my entire career creating.'

“the opportunity to own the body of work I’ve spent my entire career creating”

Blue Highway Describes Label

Blue Highway describes Fifty-One/Forty-Nine as an 'artist-led record company' founded by Rhett and built around long-term ownership, creative independence and artist development.

“artist-led record company”

Label Appears in Copyrights

Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records already appears in the copyright line of Rhett’s 2024 album About a Woman and later releases.

Previous Label Deal

Rhett’s 2022 album Where We Started carried a Big Machine Label Group copyright line, but the arrangement covers only recent releases.

Blue Highway CEO Jake Basden

Jake Basden, CEO of Blue Highway Records, praised Rhett’s musical fluidity and his ability to create honest country music that resonates globally.

“musical fluidity is matched by his sense of lyrics, songs, and what people feel”

Historical Context

HYBE America rebranded Big Machine Label Group as Blue Highway Records in February, folding Valory into the renamed company after Borchetta’s departure.

Rhett’s Achievements

Rhett has 25 No. 1 singles and over 16 billion streams, plus eight ACM Awards and two CMA Awards.